Director, Employment and Litigation Counsel

Overview:The Director, Employment & Litigation Counsel will serve as a key legal advisor to Human Resources, Business Leaders, and cross-functional partners across the organization. Reporting directly to the Assistant General Counsel, this role is responsible for providing practical, solution-oriented legal advice on a broad range of employment matters, managing general commercial and employment litigation, directly engaging with adverse parties, overseeing workplace investigations, and supporting global workforce growth in the biopharmaceutical sector. This role will offer preventive advice and solutions to the HR team for a range of topics from employee relations (ER) perspective, including, but not limited to, recruitment, compensation and benefits, retention, discrimination, harassment, performance, discipline and separations. This role will also provide advice on employee data-related matters. The geographic coverage of this role is primarily U.S. and may be expanded with the growth of the business. Responsibilities:Employment Law Advice & HR PartnershipServe as a primary Legal Business Partner to HR, Talent Acquisition, and Total Rewards teams on employment compliance, worker classification (FLSA), performance management, accommodations, leaves of absence, executive compensation, and separationsDraft, review, and update employment-related agreements, restrictive covenants, separation packages, and workforce policies to align with federal, state, and local lawsProvide strategic counsel on immigration, OFCCP/EEOC compliance, global mobility, and contingent workforce managementMonitor evolving employment legislation and industry trends in the biotech/pharma space to proactively implement risk mitigation strategies Workplace Investigations & ComplianceLead or supervise complex internal investigations into whistleblower allegations, harassment, discrimination, and code-of-conduct violationsFormulate standardized investigation workflows, ensure objective documentation, and partner with HR to implement corrective actions and remediationsDesign and deliver interactive legal training programs for managers and HR professionals on employment compliance, internal investigations, and anti-harassment standardsEngage external counsel support as needed Commercial & General Litigation ManagementAct as a primary legal point of contact for external disputes, directly communicating and negotiating with adverse parties, opposing counsel, regulatory agencies, and third-party claimants across a variety of pre-litigation and active dispute mattersDirect and manage strategy for general commercial litigation, breach of contract claims, vendor disputes, IP-adjacent matters, and employment-related administrative charges (EEOC/state agencies)Select, manage, and supervise outside counsel to ensure high-quality, cost-effective representation and strategic alignment on litigation proceedingsOversee e-discovery, litigation holds, document collection, subpoena responses, and witness preparation for depositions and hearings Qualifications:Skills/Knowledge J.D. is requiredActive license to practice law in at least one US StateMinimum of 7 years HR experience in the US experience in private practice and/or in-house at high growth companiesSubstantial hands-on experience directly negotiating and communicating with adverse parties, opposing counsel, and agency investigators to resolve pre-litigation disputes and commercial claimsComprehensive knowledge of federal, state, and local employment laws (e.g., Title VII, ADA, FMLA, FLSA, ADEA, state wage-and-hour laws), as well as general civil procedureDemonstrated experience managing workplace investigations, administrative agency charges, and commercial disputesExperience advising on employee data collection, process and protectionHands-on, solution-oriented, and ability to provide actionable solutionsStrategic thinker, knowledgeable on best practicesAbility to re